Strictly Sinclair Method Weekly Thread

[Solice]

Strictly Sinclair Method Weekly Thread

Thanks RV. I gotta hang in there.

Congrats on three days AF w/o the nal. Have you notice enhanced enjoyment of other things being off the nal??? Does anyone else notice a reduced enjoyment of other things while on nal??

Thanks to all for your posts and encouragement!

[rv9]

Strictly Sinclair Method Weekly Thread

Solice;525926 wrote: Congrats on three days AF w/o the nal. Have you notice enhanced enjoyment of other things being off the nal??? Does anyone else notice a reduced enjoyment of other things while on nal??

Not really any enhanced enjoyment of anything other than I enjoy waking up clearheaded and refreshed instead of hung over and groggy ;-) I haven't engaged in any endorphinergic activities (running, working out, etc.) in the last few days so I can't speak to those. The last few nights have consisted of sitting down with a tall cold glass of buttermilk and a book. I've really enjoyed it.

[lenaleed]

Strictly Sinclair Method Weekly Thread

There has been mention of marijuana on this thread. Eskapa does not make any mention of marijuana in his book. I cannot find Sinclair discussing it either. Since we don't have any guidance from them we should assume the Sinclair Method does not have any position one way or the other on marijuana, so we will not be able to address it on this thread. On a somewhat related issue, Eskapa (pp. 181-185) does say that nicotine addiction seems to be unrelated to the opiod receptor brain function so the extinction principle is unlikely to work with Naltrexone for quitting tobacco. Hope you all are well -- Lena

[aurora borialis]

Strictly Sinclair Method Weekly Thread

Hi all! Thought I'd check in and say hello. Been doing well and everything is going pretty much the same. I did a little calculating. Since I usually over drink around eight to ten days in a given month it may take me up to a year to feel really solid with the Sinclair approach. Still I am looking forward to Feb 6th. That will be the 4 months of doing it. A friend of mine suddenly died during a binge drinking episode recently and I was kinda bummed out about it. She was in and out of rehab the last few years and I had not spoke to her often in the past year but I am sure she never was told about the exsistence of this option. Take care .

[Guest]

Strictly Sinclair Method Weekly Thread

Hi all, Sorry about your friend potato, hope you are doing well emotionally about your loss. I have not been participating in this site, as I am not "Strictly Sinclair'" But I am doing really well with my plan. It may be difficult for you because you are a sporadic drinker, I wonder what it is that turns the switch for you on the day you do drink. Is it a weekend thing?
About the tobacco, I think Nal does have effects on the cigs, I definitely have less pleasure smoking.

Always look forward to your results all you Nals......:heart:

[SpringerRider]

Strictly Sinclair Method Weekly Thread

rv9,
I hope you get your Nal in soon. That is my greatest fear.
I am trvelling for business and used to use this to really drink but tonight I had no desire. This is only day 6 and I am playing it as it comes. If I have the urge, I take Nal and drink. If not, I don't.

For those who have not read the book, you can get some background from a Shrinkwrap POD cast.
Shrink Rap Radio Psychology Interviews: Exploring brain, body, mind, spirit, intuition, leadership, research, psychotherapy and more! ? #64 - The Sinclair Method for Treating Addiction
I listened to it today while driving from Georgia to Indiana. It is about an hour. It starts out a little jerky but once Sinclair settles in, he gets quit Lucid. The broadcast is from 2006 and I think more has been learned since then.

Yet, I believe we are the pioneers. We are the next chapter of the Nal book. That is why I am so interested in everyones progress.

[SpringerRider]

Strictly Sinclair Method Weekly Thread

Some more help for those who have not been able to get Eskapa's book
The Sinclair Method

[lenaleed]

Strictly Sinclair Method Weekly Thread

Thanks for posting the links, SR. The podcast is an excellent intro, from Dr. Sinclair himself, to the method. The so-called "Sinclair Method" link contains valuable information as well, but I do want to add a word of caution. The folks at the Florida clinic offer a program that combines Sinclair with counseling. Sinclair himself maintains -- and the research bears out -- that his method works without counseling. As he notes in the podcast, the rats did not receive counseling. As Eskapa notes, project Combine, the largest clinical trial in the history of Alcoholism research, showed that Naltrexone, used according to Sinclair's protocol, works without counseling. (Eskapa, pp.50-51) .

Many or us, like rv9, developed our addiction simply by having several drinks daily over time, resulting in the "learning" process (in the clinical sense) and addiction. Some of us, like me, "learned" by drinking along with an alcoholic spouse until we too were addicted. Some began problem drinking to self-medicate undiagnosed clinical depression (although there are chicken-and egg issues with alcohol and depression; research shows subjects whose drinking is extinguished with Naltrexone show markedly inproved scores on depression scales, Eskapa, pp.96-97).

The point is, we should not assume we need conseling or therapy to succeed with the Sinclair Method. That is not to say some of us could not benefit from some psychological treatment. For me, it helps to see mental health issues as separate and distinct from alcohol addiction, requiring separate treatment.

The "Sinclair" site in the link above offers a combined program of Sinclair method and cognitive behavioral therapy for several thousand dollars. As I have said in posts elsewhere, I am quite sure the rats did not experience messy divorces or financial disasters. Many of us could benefit from some cognitive behavioral therapy. This therapy has been found effective when self-administered through a computer program. There is an excellent, FREE CBT program on this site:
MoodGYM: Welcome
Its tone is geared more toward teens/young adults but it is a valuable CBT program for anyone.

If you had a diagnosed mental health condition before you started the Sinclair Method, of course it is important to continue to work with your mental health care provider (Eskapa, p.96)

I'm not saying the Florida "Sinclair" site is a rip-off; it sure beats four weeks in-patient at $30k a pop with a dismal prognosis to show for it. At least the truly Sinclair portion of the Florida clinic's treatment has excellent prospects for success. And some CBT never hurt anyone that I have heard. But isn't it nice to know we have choices?

Onward & upward -- Lena

[Solice]

Strictly Sinclair Method Weekly Thread

Hi Everyone. Last night wasn't stellar, had 4 beers at home, went out, had 3-4 beers and two whiskey on the rocks. Atleast I wasn't driving.

I gotta cut back... way back. Going to keep drinking on NAL and hope the desire and amount I drink drops soon.. Almost a month now. Does Dr. Eskapa say we should try to reduce our intake or just drink, drink, drink??

Anyone else still drinking alot??

[rv9]

Strictly Sinclair Method Weekly Thread

Solice;526524 wrote: Does Dr. Eskapa say we should try to reduce our intake or just drink, drink, drink??Anyone else still drinking alot??

You shouldn't try to do anything. Just keep drinking as you normally would. I drank a lot until a couple weeks ago (as I was approaching 2 months on Sinclair). Just keep on going.

Try not to worry about it but keep in mind that about 10% of people won't be helped by the Sinclair Method. I have spoken with a man for whom, unfortunately, this is the case.

[angelfood]

Strictly Sinclair Method Weekly Thread

I have been reading the posts for several days and today I ordered the book. Plan to follow as best I can for the next few months. My doctor prescribed Nal although I had never heard of it. She took me off the Campral which another doctor had prescribed but I didn't see that it was working. She wants me to stay on Nal for a few months and then get back to her. She also suggested a counselor of her choice who is not associated with AA and thinks other alternatives are viable. Both doctor and counselor support my plan at the moment so I am hoping all goes well.

[SpringerRider]

Strictly Sinclair Method Weekly Thread

One week and doing fine. Maybe I am the exception but I feel much less like drinking at this early stage. Yet, I was one that coudl always go on dry ups. Right now, I am on location for business and conditions do not lend themselves for drinking.

When I get home I may feel differently.

All I can say is that I will take Nal before I drink.

[nealio]

Strictly Sinclair Method Weekly Thread

new to the forum. Sober 15 years but recently hit a major issue and started drinking.
I think you all for the input and have been looking for alternatives to AA

[nealio]

Strictly Sinclair Method Weekly Thread

AA sucks BTW

[nealio]

Strictly Sinclair Method Weekly Thread

actually AA helped me. I should not be so harsh...